Turkey Dispatches Drillship for Offshore Exploration in Somalia

Turkey sent a deep-sea drilling vessel to Somalia in what officials describe as a landmark step in Ankara’s expanding energy ambitions.

According to statements carried by CNN Business Arabic, the Turkish government announced Sunday that the drillship Çağrı Bey has been deployed for offshore oil and gas exploration off the Somali coas, marking the country’s first maritime exploration mission beyond its national waters.

Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar described the move as a “historic moment” in Turkey’s energy exploration drive. The vessel is expected to begin drilling operations at the “Koorad-1” well in April.

Speaking at a ceremony held at the port of Taşucu in Mersin province, Bayraktar said the deep-sea drillship was embarking “for the first time on a mission outside our maritime jurisdiction.”

The Çağrı Bey, which recently joined Turkey’s growing offshore drilling fleet, is projected to reach Somali waters within approximately 45 days. The vessel will be accompanied by three Turkish naval ships, underscoring the strategic and security dimensions of the mission.

Ankara aims to raise its domestic oil and hydrocarbon-equivalent production to 500,000 barrels per day by 2028, according to Bayraktar. The minister added that Turkey expects to potentially double that figure through new discoveries and production-sharing agreements abroad.